First I pick up the new Chris Isaak album ... it's fantabulicious all the way, just like his previous releases. He's got the knack for writing great torch songs with a nice retro feel, he's got a hilarious TV show on HBO, and he's got the greatest hair in rock n' roll. If I was gay, I would stalk him.

And today I've picked up the new Bob Mould album. I heard that he had retired a few years ago, so this one is a nice surprise. If you like late-Husker Du and Sugar (his bands in the 80s and 90s), you will love this one. It's got his trademarked sunny-sounding-pop-rock-sound-with-bleak-depressing-lyrics alright, but there is a nice sheen of 21st century electronica on many of the songs. Really good album. P.S. Some of you might remember that this is the Bob Mould who helped write for Nitro after Evil Vince Russo was fired for the first time. In the liner notes, Bob thanks "... Kevin Nash, Kevin Sullivan, Ed Ferrara, Gary Juster, Bill Busch ..." He he, haven't heard those names in a while. I should e-mail the Torch and get my name in their crappy Torch Today updates!

i was disappointed with "the last pony show" (or somesuch). the self titled album before that (with karma canyon on it) was much better, imo. could you compare the new one with one of his previous solo records?

i liked husker du much, much better than sugar.

here's some useless trivia that will never, ever come up: the track "real world" from "metal circus" was the music for jason lee's first part in a skateboard video, which was spike jonez'es fisrt video project! (blind skateboards' "video days", featuring a pro-gulf war rally!)

After listening to the Mould album a few more times, I have to say that it has more than a "sheen of electronica" like I first said. Fully half the songs are full-blown dance tracks, but with lots of lyrics. I'm not kidding. I'm still digging it, but it is a major change of direction for Bob. I like The Last Dog and Pony Show as much as Bob Mould, so I can't really compare it with them. If you are a fan, trust your guts I guess.

You didn't like Sugar??? Damn, Copper Blue was one of the greatest albums of the early '90s. "Standing on the edge of the Hooooover Daaaaam ..."